FULL LIST: Nations Opposing and Backing Gianni Infantino Ahead of 2027 FIFA Election
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing growing opposition ahead of the 2027 FIFA presidential election, with several national football associations withdrawing their support following controversy over his proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise investment plan.
Infantino had appeared to be in a strong position to secure another term as FIFA president. However, his proposed investment initiative, which sought to bring private investors into a new commercial structure involving major FIFA competitions, triggered criticism from football authorities, particularly in Europe. FIFA later shelved the proposal, while Infantino apologised over what he described as errors surrounding the initiative.
Despite the controversy, Infantino has retained significant support across several regions. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) unanimously reaffirmed its support for his re-election, while a number of associations in Asia, Africa, South America and other regions have also publicly backed him.
The 2027 election is expected to be closely watched because every one of FIFA’s 211 member associations has a single vote. This means major football nations and smaller associations have equal voting power. A candidate needs a majority of 106 votes to win the presidency.
Nations opposing Infantino
Opposition has so far been concentrated mainly in Europe. Finland was among the first associations to withdraw its support, followed by England, Wales and Serbia.
Other European associations that have indicated they will not support Infantino include Sweden, Greece, Albania, Croatia, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.
Jordan is currently the only non-European country identified as having publicly stated that it will not support Infantino’s re-election. The Jordan Football Association is led by former FIFA vice-president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, who has criticised FIFA’s leadership.
The full list of publicly opposing or withdrawing support is:
Finland, England, Wales, Serbia, Sweden, Greece, Albania, Croatia, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway and Jordan.
Two other European associations, Romania and the Czech Republic, have indicated that they may not back Infantino, although they had not formally declared their positions at the time of the latest report.
Nations backing Infantino
Despite the growing opposition, Infantino continues to enjoy considerable support. Qatar, Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Lebanon and Morocco publicly backed him after the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal was withdrawn.
Their support was followed by endorsements from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Bhutan, the Philippines, Mexico, Argentina and Paraguay.
The full list of nations publicly backing Infantino is:
Qatar, Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Bhutan, Philippines, Mexico, Argentina and Paraguay.
Other countries have also voiced support without issuing full formal endorsements. They include Egypt, Niger and Mauritania.
At the confederation level, CAF has given Infantino unanimous backing, while CONMEBOL has also opposed attempts to remove him outside FIFA’s established electoral process. The South American body has indicated that the next FIFA president should be determined through the scheduled 2027 election.
The situation remains fluid because the nomination deadline is November 18, 2026, leaving room for more associations to declare their positions before the election. FIFA has confirmed that Infantino intends to seek re-election for another term covering 2027 to 2031.
With UEFA and several of its member associations increasingly critical of Infantino, while CAF and several other regions continue to support him, the contest could become one of the most politically significant FIFA presidential elections in recent years.
For now, Infantino remains the only formally declared candidate, but the balance of support could change considerably before the March 2027 vote.
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